In brief
- With henna brows your hairs and the skin beneath get colour. Sparse patches fill in as a result, and your brows look fuller.
- On your skin the colour lasts up to about two weeks, on the hairs up to about seven weeks.
- For the first 24 hours you keep your brows dry. On the first day the colour is at its strongest, then it softens.
- Henna sits on the skin and fades by itself. It is not permanent make-up.
- At Moons in Enschede henna brows cost €38.00, with shaping and aftercare included.
Written by Nilay, owner and beauty therapist at Moons BeautyUpdated on
What are henna brows?
Henna brows is a treatment in which a dye paste is applied to your brows. The paste colours the hairs and also leaves a soft shadow on the skin beneath. Compare it with the difference between mascara and eyeliner: the hairs get darker, and the shadow on the skin fills in the shape.
That shadow on the skin is the difference from an ordinary tint. Tint only colours the hairs. If you have sparse patches or thin ends, henna gives you a fuller shape, while not a single hair has been added.
Henna stays on top of your skin. It involves no needles, and the colour fades by itself. That is where it differs from permanent make-up such as microblading and powder brows.
How long do henna brows last?
The colour sits in two places, and they behave differently. On your skin it disappears sooner than on the hairs.
The first day
At its strongest
Straight after the treatment the colour is at its darkest. Your brows look fuller than you are used to.
Days two to five
The colour softens
The colour settles to its natural level. What looked intense on the first day evens out.
Weeks one and two
The skin slowly lets go
Every time you cleanse your face, a little colour comes off the skin. After about two weeks your skin has its own colour back.
Weeks three to seven
Only the hairs now
The hairs stay dark, up to about seven weeks. Many people have the shape tidied up around week four.
Aftercare: what is allowed when?
In the first 24 hours the colour sets in your skin. After that it mainly comes down to not scrubbing.
| Topic | First 24 hours | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Water and showering | Keep your brows dry | Fine |
| Steam and sauna | Skip them for a day | Fine again |
| Make-up on your brows | Leave it off | Fine again |
| Rubbing and cleansing | Don't touch them | Cleanse gently. Each cleanse takes some colour off the skin |
| Oil, scrubs, acids and retinol | Don't use them | Keep them away from your brows for two weeks |
Too dark, patchy or gone quickly?
The colour is too dark
On the first day the colour is at its strongest. Wait a few days: between day two and five it softens by itself. Don't go over it with a scrub.
The colour leaves the skin quickly
On oily skin the colour fades faster, and oil, scrubs, acids and retinol also remove it sooner. The hairs do hold on to the colour.
The colour is uneven
That is usually because the skin was not oil-free beforehand. Oil or a trace of make-up makes the colour take unevenly. Tell the salon where you had it done.
The shape is fuller than you wanted
In the first days the shadow on the skin outlines the shape too. After about two weeks it is gone, and only your own hairs stay coloured.
Henna, hybrid or just a tint?
All three give colour. The difference is in how much the skin is coloured too, and how long that lasts.
| Topic | What gets coloured | How long you see it | Price at Moons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henna brows | The hairs and the skin beneath, with the strongest shadow | Skin up to about two weeks, hairs up to about seven weeks | €38.00 |
| Hybrid brows | The hairs, and the skin lightly | Skin up to about seven days, hairs up to about seven weeks | €35.00 |
| Shape and tint | Only the hairs | Up to about four weeks | €30.00 |
If you are also considering a lamination, read brow lamination or henna brows. We don't do henna and lamination in the same appointment; a week later it is fine.
Who does it work for, and when is it best to skip it?
A good idea if
- Your brows have sparse patches or have become thin at the outer ends
- You fill in your brows every morning with pencil or powder
- You have light hairs that disappear in photos
- You want to see how a fuller shape suits you, without being tied to anything
- You are going on holiday and want a few weeks of not having to do anything
Check with us first
- A previous reaction to hair dye or brow tint. Tell us beforehand, then we test first. You can react to a plant-based dye too
- Oily skin. The colour fades faster on it, although the hairs hold it
- Scrubs, acids and retinol on your face. These lift the colour off your skin sooner
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Shaping is always possible, the colour we decide on together
- Irritated or damaged skin. We do not apply henna to it
Henna brows at home?
Kits are sold for doing henna yourself. The tricky part is the preparation and the shape. The skin has to be completely oil-free, otherwise the colour takes unevenly, and you then see that for two weeks. And because henna colours the skin too, you see every millimetre that falls outside the line.
If you do it yourself anyway, do the allergy test that comes with the kit first. You can react to a plant-based dye too. If you get itching, swelling or blisters, remove the paste and call your GP.
Itching, swelling or blisters?
If you get itching, swelling, blisters or red, burning skin around your brows after henna or tint, don't wait and call your GP. Also tell the salon where you had it done, and mention it at every colour treatment after that.
Frequently asked questions about henna brows
What are henna brows?
With henna brows a dye paste is applied to your brows. It colours the hairs and gives a soft shadow on the skin beneath. That makes your brows look fuller, even in places with few hairs.
How long do henna brows last?
On your skin up to about two weeks, on the hairs up to about seven weeks. On oily skin the colour on the skin fades faster.
How long does a henna brows treatment take?
At Moons half an hour, including deciding the shape, the shaping and the aftercare.
How long do henna brows need to stay dry?
24 hours. During that time the colour sets in your skin. Skip steam and the sauna for a day too, and leave make-up off your brows that day.
My henna brows are too dark, what now?
Wait a few days. On the first day the colour is at its strongest, and between day two and five it softens by itself. Don't go over it with a scrub.
What is the difference between henna brows and a brow tint?
Tint only colours the hairs, for about four weeks. Henna also colours the skin beneath, so sparse patches fill in. On the hairs henna lasts longer too, up to about seven weeks.
What is the difference between henna brows and hybrid brows?
Both colour the hairs and the skin. Henna gives the strongest shadow on the skin, for up to about two weeks. Hybrid gives a lighter shadow that is gone after about seven days.
Are henna brows the same as powder brows or microblading?
No. Powder brows and microblading are permanent make-up, where colour is put into the skin. Henna sits on the skin and fades by itself. We do not do permanent make-up at Moons.
Can you have henna brows when you are pregnant?
Mention it when you book. At Moons shaping is always possible, and we decide on the colour together. If you are in doubt, ask your midwife as well.
Can you have an allergic reaction to henna brows?
Yes, you can react to a plant-based dye too. If you have ever had a reaction to hair dye or brow tint, say so beforehand. Then a test is done first.
Do henna brows work on oily skin?
Yes, but the colour on the skin fades faster. The hairs hold the colour just fine.
Can you do henna brows at home?
Kits are sold. The skin has to be completely oil-free and the shape has to be exactly right, because henna colours the skin too. Always do the allergy test that comes with the kit first.
Can you combine henna brows with a brow lamination?
Not in the same appointment. After a lamination your skin takes up the colour unevenly. A week later henna is fine.
What do henna brows cost?
At Moons in Enschede henna brows cost €38.00. Shaping and aftercare are included.
From reading to doing
What we do with this in the salon
Henna brows in Enschede
Colour on the hairs and the skin beneath, with price and booking.
Hybrid brows
More definition than tint, softer than henna. In half an hour.
Brow tint
Shaping and tint in half an hour, the colour lasts four weeks.
All brow treatments
Shaping, tint, hybrid, henna and lamination side by side.
